Accused fake talent agent facing new charges

An Ottawa man accused of posing as a talent agent online in order to lure young women into the sex trade is facing 13 new charges.

Ottawa Police arrested Cameron Lyons, 37, in October, 2016. At the time, he was charged with three counts of human trafficking under 18, three counts of child luring and two counts of procuring persons under 18 to provide sexual services in connection with alleged incidents involving two 14-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl.

Investigators alleged at the time that Lyons used several aliases on Facebook, including “Joe Howorth” of VIP Entertainment and “Steve DeBone.”

Police say since that arrest, they were contacted more than 20 times by email, phone and Crime Stoppers. New investigations led to the following charges for Lyons, which were laid in court on Thursday:

2 counts of sexual assault under 16

2 counts of sexual interference under 16

2 counts of invitation to sexual touching under 16

1 count of procuring a person under 18 to provide sexual services

Police say these charges are in connection with an alleged minor female victim.

Lyons is also charged with the following offenses, in connection with three alleged adult female victims:

1 count of sexual assault

3 counts of criminal harassment

2 counts of extortion

Lyons was a volunteer equipment manager for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football team and a baseball umpire. The University said in a statement in October that Lyons had been suspended, pending the outcome of the investigation.